happydaysfandomcom-20200214-history
R.O.T.C.
R.O.T.C. was the fifth episode in Season 2 of Happy Days, also the 21st overall series episode. Written by Mickey Rose, the episode, which was directed by Jerry Paris, originally aired on ABC-TV on October 2, 1974. Synopsis Richie is named R.O.T.C. squad leader but has trouble controlling his squad. After several warnings to obey his commands, he puts them all on report as he finds that there's more to leadership than just shouting orders. Full summary Richie is put in a precarious position when, after he, Ralph, Potsie, and others in their ROTC drill squad are "goofing off", his ROTC instructor and CO, Lt. Col. Binicky (Dave Ketchum), places him in charge of their squad, replacing Charlie (Richard Kuller), the former squad leader. When Binicky dropped by the high school drill ground area, he doesn't like what he sees, as he asks, "OK, men, what's going on here!?" as he then says, "This isn't Kindergarten, you know! This is ROTC!" "Well, what do want me to do? I mean, fill out a report, so we can practice in the summer, in the hot sun?!" Binicky continues to lament over what he calls "the worst squad I've got", as he asks Charlie, the squad leader, "What's the problem here!?" as Charlie replies,. "I don't know, sir, Ive been trying to whip them into shape...they just don't seem to respond...I think its a clear cut case of insubordination!" as Binicky replies, "All right...you're fired..get back in the ranks!" When he singles out Richie, asking him "What's your name", as Richie replies "Cunningham, sir!" Binicky tells him "You're going to be our new squad leader!" as he makes him "take charge" of his squad to the chagrin of Ralph, Potsie, and the others in the unit. Thinking that life will be easy with Richie in charge, the guys continue to goof off, as Richie winds up threating them as they all run off the school grounds in the middle of drill practice. When Richie tries to go to Colonel Binicky to tell him about his squad running off on him, Binicky's response is, "Good!" "The day you learn the secet of good leadership...the men hate your guts!" When Richie then questions the logic of the Colonel's reasoning, he responds, "But I don't think that I want my men to hate me!" as Binicky responds, "I'm going to forget that you said that!" "All great leaders were hated by their men... McArthur, Bradley, Nimintz... if your men hate you, they fear you...and if they fear you, they follow you!" When Richie asks him, "Supposing if they run away again?", Binicky tells him, "Then, put 'em on report!" When Richie asks "Put them on report!?" "My own friends?!", Binicky tells him "Soldier, a good commander has no friends!" Binicky's advice went in direct contrast to what Howard told Richie when he tells him that he's been made his squad leader: "You've gotta make your men love you...McArthur, Nimitz, Bradley all the great leaders have that quality!" Things go from bad to worse, when Richie, in heeding Binicky's advice, when, after a second time, the fellas goof of in a sort of defiance against Richie's now strict discipline approach, as they again, namely Ralph and Potsie, who, as Ralph says, think that "this military stuff has gone to his head", wind up laughing at Richie as he threatens to put them on report; when he tries to order them to stand at attention, the whole squad again runs off of the school campus as Richie begins yelling that they're all on report! After Richie tries to solicit Fonzie for advice, Fonzie advises him to use "Cool Communication" the example being, when his burger and cola aren't prepared to his specifications, he gives an "Aaaaay!!!" to carhop Wendy (Misty Rowe) to let her know, as she goes back to the kitchen to make sure his order is right. When Richie tells him that he put his squad on report, Fonzie rebuffs him, telling him to get out of his sight, as he says to him "I can't afford to have my reputation damaged by being seen with a stoolie!" After Richie tries to get advice from his dad, who suggests that Richie sticks it out, as Richie goes to bed and sleeps on it. After Richie has a weird nightmare, in which all of his friends and family members, including Howard, appear as accusers in a mock "courts martial" type kangaroo court, where Fonzie is the judge. When Howard, whose dressed as an army buck private, takes the stand as a witness for the prosecution, he charges, "Time after time he comes to me with his problems... Wouldn't you think he could work something out for himself? I think he's hopeless...and I'll tell last week he put me on report, and now I'll have to spend the whole summer marching in the hot sun!" When Judge Fonzie brings in Joanie, also dressed in army fatigues, she charges, "I'm his sister...and he's a tease, and a big boss...It's no fun being related to Richie!" as moments later, she appears again, this time, donning Groucho Marx glasses and a cigar, saying Groucho's famous one-liner, "Now, that's the dirtiest one I've ever heard!" Ralph and Potsie, while being "puppeted" by squad leader Richie, charge "He's gone ape with power! He treats us like puppets!" When Richie, the defendant, tries to object, the scene cuts back to puppets Ralph and Potsie chanting "Let's go to a panty raid! Let's go to a panty raid!" with squad leader Richie charging "Left, Right Left, Right!". At the end of the "trial" dream, Richie's found guilty and pelted by everybody with whipped cream; when he awakens, he has a change of heart in dealing with his squad as he at drill practice, apologizes to Ralph and Potsie and the rest of the squad for being so hard on them, as they promise to respect his authority as the squad leader as he tears up their reports as they get ready for the school's ROTC "pass-in-review" ceremony, which goes well, until Richie, in responding to the rousing applause of the audience in attendance, forgets to make the squad halt as they march into the water sprinklers! Later, at home, Howard, in consoling an embarrassed and wet Richie, asserts that it's just as important to be a good follower as it is to lead, as he says he's proud of him for trying to lead the ROTC squad. Later, with Ralph at Arnold's, Fonzie says to him, "Hey, Cunningham! I hear you messed up your squad the other day! Good Going! See, guys like you make this country tick! Remember this: followers shall inherit the earth!", as he pledges to write it on the bathroom wall. Potsie drops by with some big news: he's been made the new squad leader. When Potsie says that his dad thought it a good idea for him to learn leadership, Richie responds, "No we know who not to talk to!" Image gallery Image:R.O.T.C.1.png ep 2x5 - Dave Ketchum as Lt. Col Binicky.png ep 2x5 - Lt. Col Binicky tells Richie how to command.png ep 2x5 - Squad leader Richie berates Ralph.png Happy Days ep 2x5 - Richie Ralph drill practic.png HD ep 2x5 - Joanie as Groucho.png HD ep 2x5 - Judge Fonzie.png HD ep 2x5 - Col. Binicky asking Charlie about his squad.png HD ep 2x5 - Richie's last request.png ep 2x5 ROTC - Private Howie.png Guest starring *Dave Ketchum as Lt. Colonel Binicky *Richard Kuller as Charlie *Misty Rowe as Wendy External links * Category:Episodes Category:Happy Days Season 2 Category:Happy Days episodes